Carer's guide
Claiming Attendance Allowance for a Parent or Relative
If you're helping a parent or relative through the Attendance Allowance form, you're in exactly the position this site was built for. The hardest part usually isn't the paperwork itself — it's putting into words the kind of day-to-day help that, from the inside, can start to feel completely normal.
Why carers often under-describe the need
When you're the one providing care, prompting, reminding, and checking in every day, it's easy to stop noticing how much you're actually doing — it just becomes routine. That's exactly the detail the Attendance Allowance form needs, though. The DWP guidance itself suggests comparing how your relative manages a task now to how they managed it before their condition or disability — that contrast is what shows the real level of need.
Worth writing down specifically: how often you remind or prompt them, whether you need to be in the room (not just in the house), what happens on a bad day versus an average day, and any night-time checking or help — even occasional night-time need can be enough on its own for a higher-rate award.
Helping without taking over
Where your relative is able to, it's worth talking through the form's questions together rather than filling it in entirely on their behalf — their own words, prompted by your examples, often come across most clearly to a decision-maker. If they can't manage their own affairs at all, DWP's "appointee" process lets someone else act on their behalf formally; the Attendance Allowance helpline (0800 731 0122) can advise whether that applies to your situation.
What it means for you as a carer
Attendance Allowance is paid to your relative, not to you, and it doesn't count as your income. But if you provide at least 35 hours of care a week and your relative is awarded Attendance Allowance, you may separately be able to claim Carer's Allowance for yourself — a distinct benefit with its own eligibility and earnings rules, worth checking once their award comes through.
Frequently asked questions
Does my relative's Attendance Allowance count as my income?
No. Attendance Allowance is paid to the person with care needs, not to the carer, and it isn't counted as your income.
Can I get paid for caring for a family member?
Not directly through Attendance Allowance — that money goes to the person receiving care. If you provide at least 35 hours of care a week for someone who gets Attendance Allowance (among other qualifying benefits), you may separately be able to claim Carer's Allowance in your own right, subject to its own earnings and eligibility rules.
Can I fill in and sign the form on my relative's behalf?
Generally the claimant signs their own claim, but you can absolutely help them complete it — gathering information, writing draft answers together, and talking through examples of day-to-day care. If your relative can't manage their own affairs, DWP has an "appointee" process for someone to act on their behalf — worth asking the helpline about if that applies.
Ready to start? Our checklist covers what to gather before you sit down together, and the complete guide walks through the whole process.